Harsh Reality
by Butterfly Stomper II
Summary: There are some harsh realities on the world and there are those who are appointed to deal with them. (One Shot, best description I could think up)(Only named those two cause they are in it)(Please review, if you so wish)


So, I saw the movie very recently and it just sparked my imagination so much that I wrote this. It's on the sadder side of things.

I do not own any own any of the characters, except the nameless girl one who appears. I made her up.

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Had he caused this? The car had skidded on the ice he'd just made and now sat crushed up against the side of a building. Jack stood up top a building on the other side of the small street, observing the scene. The police arrived only moments ago, keeping a perimeter around the wreckage as other officers tried to pry the doors open. An ambulance was heard not too far behind, with the lights flashed off the night-covered buildings.

The newest guardian felt his heart beating heavily inside his chest and he knew why. There was a child in that car. He couldn't just stand there with that knowledge. He was a guardian of children, wasn't he? That ice had been his and now that child could be hurt.

Just as he was about to leave the building, he felt a hand on his wrist, holding him back. Jack turned to see none other than Sandy standing there. It surprised him a first, but then again, it was night, he must have been here spreading dreams.

"Sandy, let go, that child needs us," Jack demanded.

The bringer of dreams held hurt in his eyes and his shook his head before motioning for him to look back at the scene. Jack did so and saw something he hadn't only moments before. A young woman was walking toward the wreckage. She was clad in black, with purple markings over her clothes. Her skin was very pale, even in the street lamps and her hair was a dark purple. She walked passed the police officers with no obstacle, like they couldn't see her. Wait…. Could they see her?

"What is she doing?" he questioned as he watched her kneel down next to the car. Around her, the police and medical personnel were pulling injured adults out of the car and they were trying to force the other doors open. After a moment of watching, the girl stood up and a child followed her movements, holding her hand.

"He's ok…. Look, he's fi-," but he stopped speaking when he saw the hurt still on Sandy's face. It took him a moment to connect the dots as he quickly looked back to the scene. "No….." he watched as a small limp body was pulled from the car, and the reaction of the crowd. Then he looked at the young woman who held the child's hand. "But… but he's right…right… there, she… who…," but his words were lost as tears started to go down his face. Jack collapsed to one knee, unable to hold back his tears. How could this happen? Why did this happen? Had he… really just….. killed….

He felt the hand of the silent guardian on his shoulder, trying to console him. However, he pushed him away. He didn't deserve that, he thought. This was his fault. It'd been his ice that car slid upon. With the cold tears blinding him, he pushed off the roof, and began to fly directionless away.

Still standing there, Sandy was startled by the action his fellow guardian displayed. He didn't follow, though, as he sort of understood what he was feeling. He let out a soundless sigh regarding the current situation. However, he couldn't linger on it too long since he had dreams he needed to tend to.

Before he could move from the spot, there was a soft feminine voice behind him. "Sandy?"

The stout golden man turned around to see the young woman who'd been at the wreckage not too long ago calmly standing there. Her soft half closed purple eyes made it seem like she hadn't slept in a long time. Of course, Sandy knew the truth of that. "It's been a while, you doing work?" her friendly smile was faint on her pale face.

Sandy greeted her with an equally friendly smile and he gave her a nod. However, his eyes quickly left her face and traveled down to the child holding her hand. He couldn't have been more than 5 and his eyes were wide with wonder. Normally, he'd quickly put them to sleep to hide the absolute evidence of his existence. However, he knew all to well that it would do nothing for this child. He looked at the young boy with eyes of sorrow. He felt he needed to do something for him. After a moment of pondering, he moved his hands around each other, glowing gold sand floating in the directions his hands moved.

The child's eyes widened as the sand slowly took the form of a small airplane that flew out of Sandy's hands and started to fly around the child's head. He laughed with excitement as the plane twirled around and did loops in the air.

The young woman who stood next to him smiled as well before looking at Sandy. "You are always so good to them," she commented before taking the boy's hand again. She paused for a moment to look in the direction that Jack had flown, her face holding a mild concern. "Please…" she started and looked back at the guardian. "Please tell him it's not his fault," she gave him a final smile then looked down at the boy. "Come on, Luke, it's time to go,"

The child looked up at her with a smile and gave her a nod before looking at Sandy. "Bye Bye, mister. I like the plane," he then walked next to the young woman, the two of them vanishing along the way.

The plane, however, didn't follow and it turned tail and flew back to the one who'd made it. Sandy stood there with his hand still up, having been waving goodbye to the child. He felt a wetness coming to his own eyes, but he quickly wiped it away. Lowering his hand, he paused.

The same question always came to mind whenever he crossed paths with her. How she managed to do this grim task. Of course, it was not something he could understand or perhaps, something he would ever understand. She was a kind girl, maybe that was why she was charged with it. She would be a kind face that would greet the child's soul.

He stood there for a few moments longer before looking up at the starry night sky. He had a job to do. There were children out there waiting for dreams and he couldn't have them waiting any longer. The Sandman lifted into the air, surrounded by his glowing dust. However, his flying seemed just a tad bit heavier than before.

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This is a one shot. I am not sure if I will write anything else involving her, though I have ideas. I hope you liked it. Please no flames, but constructive criticism is welcome.


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